


Brotherhood

by who_seeks_shall_find



Series: Life as I see it [2]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Angst, Brotherhood, Family, Friendship, Imprisonment, Other, post-season 6
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2019-05-18 22:38:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14861618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/who_seeks_shall_find/pseuds/who_seeks_shall_find
Summary: John visits Oliver who is in the prison. They discuss the lives of their loved ones and there are some revelations.





	Brotherhood

**Author's Note:**

> This is a part of a series about Oliver's imprisonment and a year after it. This drabble takes place after 91 days of Oliver's imprisonment
> 
> I'm going to write a series which will be updated once a day (if it's just possible). It's going to include 122 drabbles about Oliver, Felicity, William and other characters who are involved in their lives. Therefore, it's going to take approximately four months to finish the series. The drabbles are linked to each other but they're NOT in a CHRONOLOGICAL order.
> 
> I wish that every character is respected without unnecessary hatred.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

John was sitting behind a small table and he scanned the room. It was an old habit. He had to be sure that his surroundings were safe and finally, he was sure that there were no threats in the small room. There were only blank walls, concrete floor, small window and two chairs on the both sides of the table. John was nervous. He was about to see Oliver for the first time in months.

He had told no one that he was going to see Oliver. He knew that Felicity was going to be livid because he had gone to see Oliver without informing her. However, John wasn’t sure how he should have proceeded. He didn’t want to get her hopes up. She was almost acting like herself again although he knew it was extremely hard for her. He wanted to protect her even if it meant lying to her about seeing Oliver. 

There was a bang and it interrupted John’s thoughts. The door opened and Oliver came through it with two guards. Oliver looked rough. He had a long beard and scars all over his face. He was limping a little and there were dark circles under his eyes. He looked older than he actually was. John felt knots forming in his stomach. He hated to see his brother like this. Damn it, it caused him pain to see him like this when there was nothing he could do about it.

Oliver eyes lit up when he saw John. There was hope in his eyes and suddenly, John wasn’t sure if him coming was such a good idea. Right now, he only could give Oliver some information about the outside world. He couldn’t get Oliver out. 

John had to look down while the guards forcefully seated Oliver another side of the table although Oliver didn’t seem to mind it because he was far too excited to see a familiar face. John looked up again and met Oliver’s tired eyes. 

“How are you, man?” John asked. 

Oliver shrugged and said: “It looks worse than it is. You know that I have faced a lot worse than this.”

John nodded. He wasn’t sure if he agreed with Oliver but now wasn’t the time to argue with him either. They didn’t exactly have too much time. John shifted on his chair while Oliver opened his mouth.

He asked: “How are you? How is everybody? Are you… Is she… Is William…” Oliver couldn’t end his sentences. 

It made John to smile a little although it wasn’t amusing. John replied: “Yeah. We all are coping. I’m trying to find a way to help you and Felicity helps me. William is also trying to do his best at school and at home. He is a better cook than Felicity so don’t worry they’re not starving.” 

Oliver chuckled but he also frowned a little before mumbling: “I don’t want you to get into trouble. I’ve a plan how to get out of here. Trust me on this one.” 

John looked at him with confusion and he tried to let his words to sink in. He wasn’t sure what Oliver meant but he decided to let it go today because Oliver probably didn’t want to talk about it in front of the guards.

John changed the topic: “You should know that Felicity is furious with you, man.”

Oliver grinned and after that he asked seriously: “Have there been problems with my reveal? I know that it may have caused people seeking revenge and some of them might have come after your family or my family.”

John didn’t know how to answer that. There had been problems. A lot of them but they had them handled. He didn’t want to worry Oliver too much because there was nothing Oliver could do about it. John decided to tell him a kind of the truth.

“You know, we have been able to handle the problems. Nothing too serious has happened”, John answered. 

Oliver frowned at him and he demanded: “John, I need you to tell me more or my imagination drives me crazy. Has somebody attacked you or my family?” 

John looked at him into the eyes. That was the moment when he decided that if it was his family, he would like to know. Damn it, it was his family. Oliver, Felicity and William were also a part of his family. John looked down because he didn’t want to see Oliver’s reaction.

“Felicity has gotten letters, texts, phone calls and emails. They are about you and how they’re going to go after her and William because what you did. They’re just anonymous threats and I have arranged protection to her and William but you know that Felicity doesn’t like being protected. She is frustrated. That’s our major fight all the time. However, she is glad for William’s security details because there was this fight at school”, John blurted and took a deep a breath. He had hold his breath without realizing. 

Then John lifted his chin and looked at Oliver again. Oliver was looking back at him intensely and John could tell that he was about to explode. Oliver was shaking and John was worried that Oliver could dislocate his own jaw because he clenched it way too hard. 

“She is going to have protection all the time. Period. She won’t be alone. Never. Period. No matter what she says. And the fight?” Oliver let out behind his gritted teeth.   
John nodded showing Oliver that he agreed with him and understood. 

However, John wanted to avoid talking about the school fight so the silence fell and it stretched until Oliver growled: “The fight, John?”

“It was nothing. Just some dumb kids talking about how Felicity should have a rebound and stuff like that. William just snapped and hit them”, John told dodging. 

John didn’t want to tell Oliver how there were men who wanted to make a pass on his wife while he was locked up. Besides, John wasn’t sure what those guys suggested to Felicity. He only knew what her body guards told him in the briefings. Personally, Felicity didn’t want to talk about flirting men and John also preferred it. After all, she was like his little sister. 

John looked at Oliver again but he wasn’t sure about Oliver’s expression. He looked defeated and angry. He looked sad and disgusted but at the same time he seemed weirdly calm. John was sure that Oliver was having a stroke. How was he going to tell Felicity that he caused Oliver’s stroke?

“Is William okay? And I want to know more about Felicity. Is she receiving any suggestions? Is she thinking about moving on?” Oliver asked with a steady voice. 

John frowned and tried to play dumb: “William is fine. And why are you asking those things about Felicity?”

“I know that there must be many men and maybe women to help her moving on. Those kids wouldn’t talk about rebound guys if there weren’t any rumors and helpful candidates”, Oliver explained calmly. 

Now John was sure that he was having a stroke himself. Suddenly, John was angry with Oliver and he hit his fist to the table.

“You must be a special kind of dumb if that’s what you think is going on. I didn’t want to tell you this because those suggestive guys are the last ones of our worries. Besides, Felicity enjoys them”, John slashed out. 

He knew how the last sentence sounded and he watched when Oliver looked like feeling physically sick. Oliver’s expression made him regret his choice of words. 

John hurried to continue: “She enjoys them when she can empty their bank accounts. It’s her new hobby.” 

Then he shrugged and Oliver’s expression melted a little. 

“You’re right. It was stupid to think that there would be something like that going on. A hobby? I guess my wife can take care of herself”, Oliver confessed and looked like he was ashamed. 

John patted his arm over the table and said: “I get it, man. I have also been locked up, remember? I know it’s not easy. You would like to protect your family. You want to tell them how much you love them. You want to hold them. I have been there but I also know that you just need to sit tight for now.”

Oliver looked him straight to eyes and said: “Yeah, I know you are right. Thank you for taking care of them although you should know that I’m angry with you. You let them out of the protective custody where they were supposed to be safe. Felicity told me about it on her letters. She wouldn’t even get those threats if they still were in the protective custody.”

John raised his hands for surrender and said: “Sorry about that but they’re still safe. I promise you that. I wouldn’t let anything happen to them. Besides, the truth to be told I think things would be worse if they still were under the protective custody. With or without the threats.”

They were silent for a moment and John continued: “I’d appreciate if you didn’t tell Felicity that I visited you. Don’t tell her that you know about the threats. She wouldn’t want that. I’m trying to protect her and William and she needs her head in the game. It would mess with her head if she knew that I saw you without her. The truth to be told I wasn’t sure what to expect and I wanted to protect her.”

Oliver nodded and sighed. John knew that it was going to be hard for Oliver not to ask about the threats in his letters. John also knew that Oliver didn’t want to lie to her anymore and still he had asked him that. John felt guilty and selfish but he needed to be the one to tell Felicity about this visit and reasons behind it. He was the one who needed to explain why he hadn’t taken her to see Oliver.

The guards shifted in the corners and suddenly they were moving towards Oliver. They didn’t have any more time. They nodded to each other. There was no need to say anything. They both knew what they wanted to say each other. 

The guards grabbed Oliver’s arms and lifted him up. John also stood up while the guards were taking Oliver away. 

John couldn’t help himself and he said: “Take care of yourself, man. I’ll see you soon.” 

Oliver turned slightly his head and then he was forcefully dragged away from the room. John just dropped back to sitting position after they were gone. He scrubbed his face. What the hell had he been thinking? He couldn’t promise that he was going to see Oliver soon. Nothing has changed. 

They all were still at the square one and when John drove back to Star City, he wasn’t sure if he had make the right choice to go and see Oliver. This had messed even with John’s own head.

**Author's Note:**

> Update for tomorrow:  
> Felicity hates being followed by her bodyguard so she decides to take off. Maybe it wasn't her best idea but she needed it. However, the men in her life weren't too happy about it.


End file.
